UC Irvine

Although the incidence of postoperative thrombocytopenia is not established in the literature, it is a commonly encountered hematologic complication after surgery and surgical procedures, and the literature is replete with reports of postoperative thrombocytopenia.^1-6 It is observed in patients after major surgeries, especially after cardiovascular operations such as coronary artery bypass grafts, repair of aneurysm, and peripheral vascular grafts, and orthopedic surgery such as total hip replacement.^1-5 In those patients, excessive postoperative bleeding due to thrombocytopenia is an especially difficult problem, because it often is caused by a serious life-threatening hematologic abnormality that occurs because of the operation itself or operation-related treatments. The urgent situation demands the skill and care of a clinician who has the expertise of coagulation pathophysiology and understanding for application of coagulation tests. Early recognition of the cause of thrombocytopenia, and appropriate preventive measures for and management of bleeding complication, are essential for uneventful recovery of the patient after surgery.